Tsunami Alert In Japan After Massive 8.7 Magnitude Earthquake Off Russia Coast

Japan on Wednesday issued a tsunami alert for its Pacific coast, upgrading an earlier advisory after a massive earthquake of 8.0 on the Richter Scale that hit near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. 

The Japanese meteorological agency issued an advisory for a tsunami of up to 3 metres across the Pacific coast of Japan, possibly starting to arrive along the northern Japanese coasts in less than half an hour after the alert, reported Associated Press. 

The tsunami warning extended to the US state of Hawaii, with the National Weather Service's Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre stating that a tsunami from the powerful tremor had been generated that could cause damage along the coastlines of all the Hawaiian islands. 

The US agency warned of "urgent action" to be taken to protect lives and property. The first waves were expected around 7 pm local time. 

According to Japan's meteorological agency, the quake hit at 8:25 am (4:55 am IST) with an initial magnitude of 8.0. The epicentre was located about 250 kilometres away from Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost of the four big islands, and was felt only slightly, reported Japan's NHK television. 

The US Geological Survey said the epicentre was 19.3 kilometres deep, shortly after initial reports that the quake measured 8.7 in magnitude. 

In Russia's Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the biggest city near the quake, people ran out of their homes in panic — without shoes or outerwear, reported Tass news agency. 

Videos emerging on social media show cars swaying in the street and balconies of high-rises shaking noticeably. Cabinets inside homes toppled while mirrors broke as the powerful tremors ripped through the region. 

The capital city of the Kamchatka region also witnessed power outages and mobile phone service failures due to the earthquake, as per the Tass report. 

The Alaska-based National Tsunami Warning Centre issued a tsunami warning for parts of the Alaska Aleutian Islands, and a watch for portions of the West Coast, including California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii. 

A vast swath of Alaska’s coastline, including parts of the panhandle, was also included in the advisory. 

 

world